Cauliflower au gratin with a little twist

Feb. 28, 2014

To grow white cauliflower, the head must be protected from sunlight as it is forming. Commercial varieties common today have inner leaves that curl naturally to block sunlight. / Carolyn Doyle/The Star

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I have never had a version of cauliflower au gratin I’ve liked better than this one. It comes together with just a few inexpensive and easily found ingredients, which makes it a great choice when you’re traveling and have access to a kitchen. Over two decades I’ve made this in several states (and a couple of different countries).

Unlike many au gratin recipes, this one does not use any milk or cream. Instead, the cooking water from steaming the cauliflower is used to create a creamy sauce accented with cheese and herbs. (If your cauliflower is a size XL — or you’d just like more sauce — feel free to double the sauce recipe. It’s great drizzled over baked potatoes, too.)

2. On stovetop, steam the cauliflower 10-15 minutes, until just tender. Arrange florets in a large shallow casserole or gratin dish. Measure one cup of cooking water and set aside.

3. Over medium heat, melt the butter in small saucepan; stir in flour and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring, to cook the raw taste out of the flour.

4. To the flour-butter roux add the salt, herbs and pepper. Gradually add a small amount of the cooking water, stirring well to incorporate, and adjusting heat as needed to keep it at a gentle simmer. Continue gradually adding liquid until the sauce has a moderately thick consistency (2-3 minutes). It should coat the back of a spoon. (You might not use the entire cup of water.)

5. Add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese to sauce, stirring to combine. Adjust consistency of sauce with additional cooking water as needed. Turn off heat and let sauce sit while you tear the bread into crumbs.

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6. Stir the sauce; use more cooking liquid to thin to a moderately thick consistency if needed. Pour over cauliflower. Top with remaining shredded cheese, and breadcrumbs.

7. Bake 15 minutes, or until nicely browned. This is an indulgent side dish served with a salad, some plain grilled or sautéed meat and potatoes … but I’ve also been known to serve it with baked potatoes and peas and call it dinner!

• I have been making this dish for decades, and have always used whole-wheat flour for my roux. Try it – you might like it!

• For looks, it makes sense to turn the steamed cauliflower florets so that the smooth side faces up. But for maximum cheese sauce coverage, I turn the florets upside-down.

• The herb or spice you choose to complement your cheese sauce can take in in dozens of different directions. Try tarragon for a French vibe. Curry powder is good if your cheese is on the milder side.

• If I put potatoes in the oven to bake just before I start getting everything ready for this dish, I find that the potatoes tend to be ready at the same time as the cauliflower (this is convenient).

• Do ahead: The day before, you can wash and separate the cauliflower (keep it in a bowl of water in the fridge) and grate the cheese. You can even cook the cauliflower the day before; just refrigerate, and don’t forget to save the cooking water for the sauce.

At the market

At the market

I saw early, tender bunches of local celery at the farmers market, along with radishes, sweet potatoes, apples, chiles, baby broccoli, mushrooms and a variety of lettuce, shoots and other greens.